How Ellen Burrows, former Litigation and Arbitration Attorney managed her shoulder and knee pain and strengthened her body as she prepared for a challenging hike in Alaska.
TRANSCRIPT:
Dayana:
Ellen, thank you so much for being here.
Ellen:
Oh you’re welcome.
Dayana:
I appreciate you so much. And I am so happy to ask you a few questions so you can share with our viewers about our experience working together. So first of all, would you mind sharing who you are and what you do or what you used to do for work when we met?
Ellen:
Sure. My name is Ellen. Ellen Parros. I am a retired attorney, I practiced for over 30 years doing reinsurance litigation and arbitration in New York and Philadelphia. And then a couple years ago, I retired and I’m now taking care of my husband who has dementia. So that’s kind of my semi full time occupation now.
Dayana:
Thank you for sharing that. And how did we meet what brought you to our practice working together?
Ellen:
We first met a couple of years ago, I believe in the spring of 2019. I was trying to get ready to go on a hiking trip with my daughter in Alaska. And I had had a pretty significant problem with a pinched nerve and irritated nerve root in my cervical thoracic spine that was giving me excruciating pain. And I had been to chiropractors, I had three injections of steroids in my spine. And I had started working with Collin, Collin Kurtz at KORU to start, you know, building up some physical strength as I was able so that it wouldn’t irritate that. And he suggested that I add Feldenkrais to that mix to help improve my overall stability and pain management in that area. And so I started seeing you.
Dayana:
Do you remember, what was the main benefit? Or what did we do together?
Ellen:
I remember. So at the time that I started doing Feldenkrais sessions, the steroid injections had definitely helped. And they were improving the situation. But there was an ongoing pain, ongoing irritation, and it was increased with any level of activity that I did. I remember the first session that we had, was kind of a remarkable shift. It was just a really, I felt lighter, I felt like, I was able to move and be in a way that I hadn’t for a long time, and not just because of that one cervical spine issue, but generally. And then I started going to Feldenkrais classes from time to time. And I also started seeing you from time to time. And what I found is, is that I learned techniques that allow me to maintain my lack of pain, maintain my you know, my ability to be more mobile to be more active, without impingement. And that I was learning things to do at home that I actually did. If I, for example, I could go for a while, and I’d be fine. And I’d feel like my shoulders and my back and the issues I was having there, start to creep in again. And I’d be like, “Oh, I know what to do.” And I could do it, and it would put me back on an even keel, and then I could move forward. Yeah, that was one thing that was really, really significant for me was that I could help- I could manage this myself. I would still see you because that was really helpful too. Every time kind of like brought me up to a little bit of a level that was higher and better. But you know, a lot of the other treatments and modalities that I’d done, you feel good for the moment, but then you’re back to where you were. And I didn’t. And I didn’t experience that with Feldenkrais.
Dayana:
Thank you. One quick question. If you were somebody on the other side of the camera, considering Is this for me, should I make the decision? Would it be so hard to follow? Like, what would you say to somebody that is deciding and ready to pull the trigger, but not quite there yet.
Ellen:
I can’t imagine who wouldn’t benefit! I really couldn’t. I think if you come to it with an open mind and awareness that the things that I learned to do the movements, the techniques that I do at home are pretty simple, pretty straightforward. I’m not somebody who’s, you know, who’s super regimented, or super disciplined about all that sort of thing. And still, it was really, really helpful to me and, you know, just small things or slight things that I learned I could, I could go back to and you know, would get me back to an even keel. And you know, for even keel for me is being able to be active, being able to move being able to do everyday things and also, you know, play pickleball and go for hikes without it causing pain.
Dayana:
Right? I remember recently you had a knee injury.
Ellen:
Yes.
Dayana:
And we noticed that some of the same things we were doing before that were applicable to your shoulder and neck, were helpful as well. Right in terms of body alignment and stress management.
Ellen:
I tore my MCL partially and, you know, was finding I went to rehab and was doing physical therapy. But the adjunct that I got from you really did help with that, to get beyond that point where you’re 90% better, but there’s still nagging pain. So we got beyond that. And that was really helpful.
Dayana:
Yeah, that’s meaningful, because life will keep happening, right? So you get stronger, you feel better you go for a walk. And before you know your dog is pulling, right? Wasn’t that what happened and then your knee was off?
Ellen:
Yeah, no, I got I was, I actually taken my daughter’s puppy to a dog park and got taken out by a Great Dane.
Dayana:
I remember. Exactly.
Ellen:
Yeah, it was not good.
Dayana:
So this is the whole point when life happens, we have a roadmap. Thank you so much for that. And then lastly, what is something that you wish that I would do better? Or something else that I haven’t asked or, I don’t know, request? Secret wish? How could I make my practice even better? My services better?
Ellen:
That’s, that’s kind of a tough one. I can’t really think of too much to say.
Dayana:
That’s ok.
Ellen:
But no, it was. It’s been very, very helpful. I’m very glad to be able to get back to the personal sessions.
Dayana:
Thank you so much. Anything else you want to share with the viewers anything else?
Ellen:
I would say seriously, though, that Feldenkrais has been really eye opening for me in terms of what the possibilities are, and things that I wouldn’t necessarily have thought were possible for me have become so. The continuing ease that I feel in my upper back and spine that I hadn’t felt for years. So that was a big eye opener. That was a big benefit for me. So thank you,
Dayana:
Thank you so much. Yes, I appreciate you.
Ellen:
You’re welcome. And same, thank you.
Dayana:
Great.